Area college notebook: Saints' Raga sets record

Published: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 12:14 a.m.

One of the best all-around players in Limestone College basketball history, Joe Raga, is now the school's all-time leading rebounder.

Raga, a 6-foot-6 senior wing from Lithia, Fla., had 11 boards Thursday in the 90-73 win against Lees-McRae and now has 660 for his career. The previous record of 649 was held by Sammy Hale, who set that mark in 1987.

“What an outstanding, impressive record by Joe,” Limestone head coach Brandon Scott said. “…Rebounding is one of those stats that has a direct impact on winning and that's what Joe is, a winner. To be the all-time leading rebounder at Limestone College is something he will never forget.”

Raga leads the Conference Carolinas with 9.1 rebounds per game this season. He averages 10.1 points per game as well and also leads the team with 3.5 assists per game. That ranks seventh in the league.

Limestone (12-6, 8-4) is tied with King College for second place, behind league leader Barton (14-3, 9-2). The Saints will play Queens University at 7:30 tonight and North Greenville at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

MILESTONE WATCH: Wofford senior guard Rachel Brittenham, already the school's single-season record-holder in assists, is poised to become the all-time leader as well.

Brittenham, from Stamford, Conn. (Saint Luke's School), needs just three assists in today's 2 p.m. game at home against Samford to top the mark of 449 by Wofford athletics Hall of Famer Libby Corry (Blacksburg) from 1991-95. Jessica Ridgill, now an assistant coach for the Terriers, is third at 387.

Brittenham has 71 assists this season, 4.2 per game, to rank third in the Southern Conference. She dished out 161 last season to eclipse her own record by one. Corry had 148 during the 1993-94 season. Brittenham had a school-record 15 assists in a single game last season against North Carolina A&T. She has reached 11 four times. Only one other player in Wofford history, Meredith Denton in December 1997, has had 11 assists in a game.

POLL POSITIONS: Spartanburg Methodist is one of only three undefeated men's teams in NJCAA Division I basketball. The other two are ahead of the Pioneers.

Top-ranked Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College went to 22-0 on Wednesday but had to rally from a 15-point deficit against Seward County to take an 87-74 victory. The Blue Dragons' steak is the fourth-longest in school history.

Second-ranked Vicennes (Indiana) University also stayed unbeaten on Wednesday, moving to 21-0 with an easy 82-61 win against Lewis and Clark. The Trailblazers have won 37 straight games at home. They had a close call last week on the road, winning by four points at Southwestern Illinois.

SMC (22-0) stretched out the longest winning streak in school history on Wednesday with a 61-51 win at home against Aiken Tech. The Pioneers have only eight games remaining in the regular season, beginning today at Cape Fear and continuing Sunday at Brunswick.

DARLING STARLING: Freshman post player Britany Starling of USC Upstate has become a top scorer in the last couple of weeks, surpassing even the efforts of all-conference senior teammate Tee'Ara Copney.

Starling, a 6-footer from Sumter High School, has averaged 15.2 points in the past five games and pulled down a combined 27 rebounds in the past two games. Copney, even with a pair of 20-point efforts, has scored 13.2 in the past five games with a combined 23 rebounds and six assists.

She was an all-region player as a junior at Sumter but sat out her senior season with a knee injury and was overlooked by most college scouts. Starling returned to play AAU ball last summer and was eagerly signed by USC Upstate.

<p>One of the best all-around players in Limestone College basketball history, Joe Raga, is now the school's all-time leading rebounder.</p><p>Raga, a 6-foot-6 senior wing from Lithia, Fla., had 11 boards Thursday in the 90-73 win against Lees-McRae and now has 660 for his career. The previous record of 649 was held by Sammy Hale, who set that mark in 1987.</p><p>“What an outstanding, impressive record by Joe,” Limestone head coach Brandon Scott said. “…Rebounding is one of those stats that has a direct impact on winning and that's what Joe is, a winner. To be the all-time leading rebounder at Limestone College is something he will never forget.”</p><p>Raga leads the Conference Carolinas with 9.1 rebounds per game this season. He averages 10.1 points per game as well and also leads the team with 3.5 assists per game. That ranks seventh in the league.</p><p>Limestone (12-6, 8-4) is tied with King College for second place, behind league leader Barton (14-3, 9-2). The Saints will play Queens University at 7:30 tonight and North Greenville at 7:30 p.m. Monday.</p><p><b>MILESTONE WATCH:</b> Wofford senior guard Rachel Brittenham, already the school's single-season record-holder in assists, is poised to become the all-time leader as well.</p><p>Brittenham, from Stamford, Conn. (Saint Luke's School), needs just three assists in today's 2 p.m. game at home against Samford to top the mark of 449 by Wofford athletics Hall of Famer Libby Corry (Blacksburg) from 1991-95. Jessica Ridgill, now an assistant coach for the Terriers, is third at 387.</p><p>Brittenham has 71 assists this season, 4.2 per game, to rank third in the Southern Conference. She dished out 161 last season to eclipse her own record by one. Corry had 148 during the 1993-94 season. Brittenham had a school-record 15 assists in a single game last season against North Carolina A&T. She has reached 11 four times. Only one other player in Wofford history, Meredith Denton in December 1997, has had 11 assists in a game.</p><p>In addition, senior guard Morgan Wrightson (Gaithersburg, Md.) needs just nine points to reach 1,000 for her career.</p><p><b>POLL POSITIONS:</b> Spartanburg Methodist is one of only three undefeated men's teams in NJCAA Division I basketball. The other two are ahead of the Pioneers.</p><p>Top-ranked Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College went to 22-0 on Wednesday but had to rally from a 15-point deficit against Seward County to take an 87-74 victory. The Blue Dragons' steak is the fourth-longest in school history.</p><p>Second-ranked Vicennes (Indiana) University also stayed unbeaten on Wednesday, moving to 21-0 with an easy 82-61 win against Lewis and Clark. The Trailblazers have won 37 straight games at home. They had a close call last week on the road, winning by four points at Southwestern Illinois.</p><p>SMC (22-0) stretched out the longest winning streak in school history on Wednesday with a 61-51 win at home against Aiken Tech. The Pioneers have only eight games remaining in the regular season, beginning today at Cape Fear and continuing Sunday at Brunswick. </p><p><b>DARLING STARLING:</b> Freshman post player Britany Starling of USC Upstate has become a top scorer in the last couple of weeks, surpassing even the efforts of all-conference senior teammate Tee'Ara Copney.</p><p>Starling, a 6-footer from Sumter High School, has averaged 15.2 points in the past five games and pulled down a combined 27 rebounds in the past two games. Copney, even with a pair of 20-point efforts, has scored 13.2 in the past five games with a combined 23 rebounds and six assists.</p><p>She was an all-region player as a junior at Sumter but sat out her senior season with a knee injury and was overlooked by most college scouts. Starling returned to play AAU ball last summer and was eagerly signed by USC Upstate.</p>